0 Degree Consulting Visualize – Align – Execute

0 Degree Consulting specializes in cultivating peak performance in organizations and individuals by using operational excellence (lean & six sigma) tools and techniques. As contractors, consultants, educators and coaches, Brian Cain and Steve Gran bring years of practical experience to organizations looking to make improvements, begin or continue their operating excellence journey.

By focusing on execution and sustainability, 0 Degree Consulting develops and implements architecture, key connection systems and uses tools that enable organizations to create break through outcomes. By balancing people, process and information systems and creating an environment in which people think differently, organizations can constantly navigate and grow.

The resumes for the two founders are provided below.

Brian K. Cain is a senior partner of 0 Degree Consulting and manages the Fairhope, Alabama offices. He has expertise in strategic and tactical planning, lean, six sigma, financial management, cash flow improvement, acquisitions and start-ups, knowledge & meeting management, and process optimization, with specialties in the areas of strategic & tactical planning, meeting facilitation, international supply chain, doing business in Asia, and international transportation.

Before starting 0 Degree Consulting, Brian held various senior positions (VP of Supply Chain & Operations, Corporate Controller, & Lean Deployment Executive) with Standard Furniture Manufacturing Company, Inc. “Standard” (an international importer of furniture and a domestic producer of bedroom furniture). He also held various roles in Standard’s accounting department and assumed other operational responsibilities as Standard’s revenues grew. During the first 8 years of his tenure at Standard the company’s revenues increased from $70 million to $280 million. During his time at Standard Brian led the operational support teams for information technology, warehousing and distribution, credit and accounts receivable management, cost accounting, market pricing, all corporate purchasing (including supplies, raw materials, imported freight, imported finished goods, and all corporate contracts), forecasting, domestic finished goods scheduling, and import operations. He was responsible for more than 300 personnel and had up to 15 direct reports. Brian was responsible for setting up a Wholly-Owned Foreign Entity, for production of leather furniture in Hangzhou, China. Brian also managed the import administrative offices in Donguan, China, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He acted as the liaison between the Asia operations and the corporate office. Brian was the leader of a team of supply chain professionals that increased cash availability by more than $12 million dollars in six months and reduced the staff responsible for the supply chain from 18 to 6 during a nine month period. Brian was responsible for all construction, delivery of all expansion projects including a 30,000 square feet office facility and distribution centers in Alabama of more than 1 million square feet and leased facilities in Los Angeles, CA of more than 325 thousand square feet. He left Standard as the Vice-President of Operations and Corporate Controller. Prior to working at Standard, Brian worked with Ernst & Young, LLP as a senior auditor.

Brian is a CPA licensed in the States of Alabama and Georgia. Brian is a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is a continuing education discussion leader for the Alabama Society of CPA’s and the University of South Alabama. He has been guest speaker for various organizations. Brian compliments his years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Mathematics with a Minor in Physics from Troy University.

Before starting 0 Degree Consulting, Steve was founding member of Blueprint 57, a coaching & consulting company. Steve focused the work of Blueprint 57 on two service segments, operational and educational services. Through these segments a clear value proposition was defined which enabled client organizations to achieve desired financial, operational, and educational objectives. At Blueprint 57 Steve worked with many executive level teams helping them transform their organization. Results included the reduction of one company's credit line by $13 Million in fourteen months. Company inventory reductions of $12 Million in twenty weeks and another company experienced a $14 Million reduction of inventory in two years. By focusing on creating visibility across the supply chain and the flow of work, Steve lead teams to identify waste that reduced overhead, and inventory, which improved bottom line results & generated free cash flow.

In his educational role Steve is an instructor, project coach and advisor in The Ohio State University Executive Education Six Sigma Program and Masters in Operating Excellence Program (MBOE). He was a member of the initial team to lead the development of the Six Sigma Program at The Ohio State University. As a project coach, Steve has advised students and executives in projects that have saved their companies millions of dollars. He is also an instructor at Saint Louis University Supply Chain Consortium, and an instructor and advisor at Texas Christian University, Supply and Value Chain Center, M. J. Neeley School of Business.

Before starting Blueprint 57, Steve held senior operational positions with Pilkington North America in its Aftermarket Glass Division. He also held various roles in Pilkington's Operating Excellence Department implementing Lean and Six Sigma in both transactional and manufacturing cultures which included the integration of Supply Chain Management. During this time Steve was certified as a Master Black Belt. At Pilkington the Operating Excellence Team reduced divisional inventory by $52 million in two years. Under Steve's direction The North American Distribution Center was able to increase cash flow by $5 million in one year, as top line revenue decreased by $11 Million.

Steve complements his years of experience with a Bachelor Degree in Transportation and Logistics from The Ohio State University.